


The Language of Love

by AmberWarrior



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eren's dense as always, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Pick-Up Lines, Pining!Levi, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-07-14
Packaged: 2018-07-19 00:23:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7337104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberWarrior/pseuds/AmberWarrior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with a pick-up line.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was by complete coincidence that Levi found himself at the library the same time Eren was studying for mid-year exams. At least, that’s what he told himself anyway.

It also had nothing to do with the way he was now lurking behind the bookshelves, watching with curiosity as Eren flipped through his textbooks with an intensity. With the amount of times they had ended up interacting with each other, their friendship hadn’t been completely unprecedented. Then again, neither were the peaks of affection currently stirring in Levi’s chest. As he continually observed the other studying vigorously, papers scattered hazardously around the small circular table, something akin to a thread seemed to pull him towards Eren.

The light scraping of metal legs against the slick, wooden floor wasn’t enough to break Eren’s concentration, even as Levi sat at the table. Wondering if the other really hadn’t noticed his presence or simply thought a stranger had taken the spare seat, he leaned back and crossed his legs.

“You like him, don’t you?” Isabel’s teasing voice appeared in his mind. Levi grit his teeth as he fought to silence the memory. The gap from her newly fallen tooth grinned widely at him as she skipped around the room. “You like him, you like him!” she had squealed, brightening at the look of absolute horrification on Levi’s face. She didn’t get dessert that night - not when she was spouting complete _lies_.

And yet here he was, trying not to stare at they way Eren would tap his pen impatiently against the pages of his book whilst furrowing his brows. Or the way his hand would occasionally ruffle his already untamed hair in an adorable and endearing fashion. Or the way- he forcibly shook himself out of his thoughts.

The brushing of paper against paper as Levi turned the page in his book broke Eren’s string of concentration and he blinked at the half-finished sentence he was writing. Lifting his gaze, a breath hitched in his throat as he saw the senior who was reading a book in one hand with a bored expression. He forced himself to exhale the surprise. “…Levi?”

  
Levi’s eyes didn’t leave the page. “Yes?”  
“What are you doing?”  
He didn’t even know what he was doing. Right now, it seemed like a terrible idea; a disaster waiting to happen. “I was just wondering…”  
“Yeah?”  
He threw his pride into three meters of garbage. “Are your legs tired?”  
“Well I’ve kinda been sitting down all day so-”  
“Because you’ve been running around in my head all day.”

A momentary pause settled over the table. Levi wondered if his approach had been too straightforward. _Fuck this,_ he thought, _why the fuck did I think this was a fucking good idea in the first place? Fucking hell._ He could just imagine himself standing and flipping the table and was about to literally do so, just when Eren broke the silence.

“Why?” Eren questioned slowly, giving a cautious look.  
“What do you mean, why?”  
“I mean,” he frowned. “It’s not like I did anything bad. I can’t think of anything that I could’ve done to make you that mad…oh wait. Oh no. This is about the time I accidentally bumped into you and made you spill your drink on your shirt, right? I said I was sorry and I know it was a week ago and you said it was okay even though your shirt was white and it was tea, your favourite tea, but if you’re still mad then I’m still sorry and-”

“Eren, it’s not because I was mad.”  
“But you said-”  
“You know what?” Closing his book, he stood from the table. “We’ll try this again some other time.” _When you’re not so oblivious to people coming on to you._

  
“Oh, are you leaving?” Eren instinctively rose from his seat.  
“Unless you want to try again?”  
“Try what again?”  
“Well, did it hurt?” Levi demanded, crossing his arms.  
_Is this some code I don’t understand?_ Eren thought blankly. _I hope it’s not an important one because I’m seriously lost._ “What?”  
“When you fell for me.” _Please, at least this one he’s got to understand. Otherwise I might seriously break something-_  
“Not really.”  
Everything seemed to go cold. Levi couldn’t feel his body. _God fucking damnit, all that fucking effort…_

Eren continued, hand thoughtfully on his chin. “…I mean you apologised and all after pushing me down the stairs so it didn’t hurt that bad in the end.” he chuckled. “That’s how we met, wasn’t it? You dropped your Windex bottle and shoved me down the stairwell because I was in your way of catching it. Actually…now that I think about it I think you were apologising to your bottle and not me…but that’s not what counts right?”

Levi couldn’t believe it. “Hey, brat?”  
“Yeah?”  
“Let me shove your face down a fucking well.”  
“Why?”  
Levi forced a smile. “So you can understand how I feel.” Before he could snap any pens on the table, he went to return his book to the shelf and left the library. He never saw the vacant expression on Eren’s face as the glass doors closed behind him.

 

* * *

 

The next time, Levi was determined. If all times he had went out of his way to cross paths with Eren had registered in the other’s mind, perhaps this courting would be more successful. Then again, with Eren’s rebellious and simple-minded personality, Levi reluctantly agreed it might take a bit more effort to get the other to look at him the way Levi had always looked at Eren.

When the bell rang for lunch, it wasn’t hard to find Eren with his friends. His friendship group was one of the biggest he’d ever seen, and Levi still wasn’t quite sure how the whole of the 104th class had managed to become so close. Then again, when compared to his own pitiful group of friends it shouldn't have been that surprising. The class sat in a crooked circle on the grass and the whole area resonated with laughter.

“Oi, Eren.” he called, walking to stand behind him. He noticed the voices quieten in a curious hush as Eren craned his head upwards with a huge grin.  
“Hey Levi! What’s up?”  
His first instinct was to say ‘the sky’ but then he remembered that wasn’t why he was here. “Can you solve a riddle?”  
“Are you questioning my brother’s mental capabilities?” Mikasa interrupted with a dark expression.  
“No,” Levi answered cooly. “It’s a genuine question.”  
“Mikasa, hush.” Eren nudged her shoulder playfully. “Sure Levi, what is it?”  
Levi smirked. “If I flip a coin, what are the chances of me getting head?”

Violent coughing erupted from Mikasa as she chocked on her food and hit her chest with a fist several times. Even Armin had the decency to look embarrassed, glancing back and forth between the two with certain looks. Ymir simply looked disgusted and brought Krista closer to her side, covering her ears and muttering about how boys were so gross. Eren simply stared back at Levi blankly. “You’re joking, right?”  
“Oh, this is no joke.” Levi reassured calmly. This time Jean didn’t even try to face-palm himself, wondering how on earth someone could be that brave - or stupid - to ask that in front of twelve people. Marco smiled.  
“But Levi,” Eren bit his lip to prevent himself from laughing. “Even third graders know the chances of getting heads or tails is 50/50.”

A collection of different reactions coursed throughout the group, Sasha and Connie’s laughter being the loudest of all. Annie groaned at the sheer idiocy she was being subjected to, bringing her chopsticks that were halfway to her mouth back down towards her bento and wondering if she should bother retching. Eren’s mouth fell open at the chain of responses elicited, suddenly feeling the need to defend himself.

  
“Ah.” Levi pursed his lips. It was going downhill already. Maybe this hadn’t been the best approach. “I see.”  
At Levi’s slightly dejected look, Eren quickly waved his hands. “A-Ah, but don’t worry! It was funny! A funny joke that is…”  
“Yeah, aren’t you just a clown, Levi.” Jean couldn’t help interjecting with a grin, ignoring the look of disbelief that passed over Marco’s face at his words.  
The playfulness seemed to completely dissipate from Levi’s eyes are he burned his cold, grey stare into Jean’s slowly retreating smirk. “Am I?” he spoke scornfully. “Then what does that make you?”

With that, Levi retreated from the group, unbeknownst of how Eren didn’t stop looking at the direction he had gone until Mikasa called his name. Later at night, Isabel could’ve sworn she heard her brother murmur from the bottom bunk bed, “But it wasn’t a joke…”

 

* * *

To Mikasa’s dismay, Eren had invited Levi to their house for his study session with her and Armin as a suggestion to revise for Levi’s coming exams (definitely not to ask for help on his current topics). The senior had promptly agreed. Painfully aware of the possessive glares his cousin shot at him when no-one was looking and the amount of times Mikasa purposefully readjusted her red scarf, Levi found he’d much rather just be alone with Eren without the company. Though of course, he figured he’d probably have to win her side if he did end up succeeding in his courting…which had so far proven to be extremely time consuming.

Seeing Levi tap on his textbook distractedly, Eren decided to speak up. “Hey Levi, can you help me with something?”  
“You can always ask me.” Mikasa blurted before he had the chance to respond.  
“Yeah, but,” Eren paused, planning his next words carefully. “I thought Levi could use a break from his senior work for a bit because he seemed, uh…”  
“What do you need help with?” Levi quickly asked, catching a glimpse of Mikasa’s clenched jaw. Eren beckoned him over, swallowing as Levi hovered dangerously close over his shoulder. Armin hastily covered his face with his papers, the tips of his ears flushing red. _They’re not even touching, Armin._ Mikasa thought grudgingly. _Eren doesn’t even blush when I go close to him…_

“Ah, it’s um,” Eren hastily found a random equation on the page and pointed to it, nodding. “This problem! I have absolutely no idea how to solve it.”  
Levi read the question over and proceeded to scribble the working out underneath. Eren watched in awe as the numbers seemed to spill onto the paper with ease, like ink spreading on a white canvas. Even his handwriting was an admirable feat.  
“Wow. You’re really good at this.” Eren looked back at Levi, grinning. “Maths should be your soulmate.”  
Levi hummed. “Well, it just so happens that you fascinate me more than the fundamental theorem of calculus.”

A thoughtful silence passed. For some reason, the three felt themselves tense in their seats for Eren’s reply, not daring to speak out of turn. Even Mikasa was quiet with interest. “So…” Eren began. ”That’s…that’s a good thing right?”  
Armin couldn’t control the huff of air that escaped his nostrils, too preoccupied with wondering how Eren could miss the suggestion that he missed seeing Mikasa twirl the end of her scarf around her hand irritably. An exasperated sigh left Levi. “Yes, Jaeger. It is.”  
“Oh!” Eren’s face brightened. “Then thanks!”

For the rest of the study session, Levi had a nagging feeling that all he had managed to do was inflate Eren’s ego. So much for the fundamental theorem of calculus.

 

* * *

 

Levi was surprised when at the end of the bell, he found Eren waiting for him at the door.

“I was just next door,” Eren hastily justified, his grip on his books tightening. “And, well, since I thought we were heading towards the same building, I thought, er-”  
“Excuuuse me!” a voice chirped behind Levi. “Can I get through?”  
Eren practically jumped. “Oh! Er, s-sorry, I’ll just, ah-” Before he could embarrass himself further in front of the senior, Levi swiftly grabbed the end of Eren’s sleeve (the hand would’ve supposedly been too direct, he thought, though at this point maybe that was what the boy needed), dragging the stuttering junior out of the doorway and giving him a light push in the direction of the stairwell.  
“Then get going, Jaeger.”

Two walked in comfortable silence, unknowing to the way their paces seemed to automatically match each others when one fell behind. Levi hid his content at how the other had given him enough thought to seek him out. That surely meant progress, didn’t it? Though then again, he thought, maybe Eren really did have no motive, and he was wasting his allocated time with the other overanalysing everything. But with the way Eren seemed to radiate happiness with every step, Levi couldn’t bring himself to complain about his obliviousness to his advances. Instead, he found himself smiling, a small curl of the corners of his mouth, almost gone unnoticed by those that passed him - all except for one.

“You’re smiling?” Eren joked. “That’s not a common occurrence. Something happen?”  
You happened. “No. Just thought of something.”  
“Oh? Pray tell.”  
“I’m not a photographer-”  
“I know.”  
Levi grimaced. “But I can picture me and you together.”  
A perplexed frown appeared on Eren’s face. “But we’re already together, aren’t we?”

The words registered slowly, stunning Levi into silence. It provided him with enough hope to dare. That the heavy palpitations in his chest matched those of Eren’s. That Eren felt the need to touch him like he did. That the teasing had finally reached its purpose. His voice came out in an uncharacteristic weak waver. “…Are we?”  
“Well…we’re walking together right now…right?” Eren frowned. The slight hitch in Levi’s breath was the only indication that it hadn’t been the answer he expected. How was Eren to know these kinds of things required certain answers, anyway? It only rendered him more self-conscious of the way he perceived others and how others perceived him. Somehow, that led him to think his reason for feeling depressed suppressed that of Levi’s.

“Then if you’re here, who’s running Heaven?” Levi protested, clinging desperately to the moment that appeared to be falling hopelessly through his fingers.  
“You’re funny.” was all Eren provided, sending him a warm smile.

The position of the burning sun behind his head created the illusion of a glowing halo around his chestnut hair and all of a sudden Levi forgot how to breathe. How this kid managed to go from a dorky teenager to an angel that melt his heart in the pulse of a second…Levi will never know. Not when his thoughts were preoccupied with Eren’s fast retreating figure into the science lab, waving enthusiastically at Levi before disappearing into the room. Not when Levi was left standing alone, digging his fingers into his sides and only turning to enter his own classroom when Petra dragged him inside, all too amused at the obvious dynamics.

It was only then Levi understood how easy it was to mistake pain for love, and love with pain. Not when they both tore at his heartstrings with such intensity that rendered him speechless every time he saw the green-eyed boy. And when he dreamt of kissing Eren that night, pulling him close by the neck and memorising every dip and curve of his lips, the way Eren would brush his fingers past his ear to explore his undercut, how their hands thread together seamlessly as if they had been moulded for each other…Levi realised just how scary loving someone could be.

 

* * *

 

Walking to his next class, Levi anticipated exactly whose thundering footsteps were rushing towards him, counting the seconds until a mop of unruly brown hair would dance into the edge of his vision. 3…2…1…“Hey Levi!”

There it is. Risking a small side glance, he saw the boy had actually bothered to comb his hair today. It was endearing. “Didn’t ignore your alarm for once today?”

  
Eren pouted, slightly out of breath. “Only because Mikasa came earlier than that.” Certainly not because he realised he would cross paths with Levi several times today due to their timetables. “She was fed up with me always being late to walk with her to school and had the nerve to throw pebbles at my window. Can you believe it? Pebbles, as in _stones_.” He threw a hand dramatically across his heart. “What if one had broken the glass and hit my head? And left me with a concussion? Would you cry for me Levi?”  
“Knowing your thick skull, it’d take a lot more than that to kill you.” he replied dryly.  
“Now why did I expect you to say something like that?” Eren sarcastically bought a finger to his chin. “Hmm. You have chemistry now, right?”  
“No,” Levi couldn’t help himself. “ _We_ have chemistry.”

Once again, the tilt of Eren’s head at his words had him almost sighing at the complete naivety of the brat. How had he ever managed to survive junior high with that amount of sheer innocence? It was a feat in itself, yet somehow Levi found it quite fitting that this kid could manage the impossible. He had, after all, succeeded in wiggling his way into the most guarded part of his heart.

A firm hand clamped on Levi’s shoulder, and Eren simply gave a nod (because yes was a generic answer, wasn’t it?). The heat from Eren’s hand seemed to spread through Levi’s body like a warm embrace, and Levi wished he could engrave the feeling in his mind forever. Exactly how did the brat have such a high body temperature?

“If I called your body warm, would you hold it against me?” Levi tried half-heartedly. As usual, he spoke by truth - except this time, the truth seemed to control him rather than his rationality. He felt the fingers tense, wondering if at this point it was too much to yearn for to hope Eren had at least understood his slightly-more-than-platonic intentions. Or if maybe he had understood, yet stubbornly played the role of the child.

A strained laugh emitted from Eren, and it was the only answer Levi could receive.


	2. Chapter 2

 It was strange, Eren thought. It’s not like this was the first time the two had studied together, but it was, however, the first time he found himself staring at Levi so much. True, the senior student had begun interacting with him a lot more often the past couple months, but that was just because he was friends with Mikasa, right? Cousins usually went out of their way to form friendships with the other’s friends…didn’t they? Eren sighed and dropped his pen onto the table, resting his head in his arms. Today was definitely not a studying day. Nor did he want it to be a particularly enlightening day either.

 

Levi looked up from his book to see the other using the desk as a pillow. He found himself imagining pressing a light kiss onto the cinnamon strands that curled around his head in an angelic fashion- only to shake the thought out of his mind as soon as it had entered.

 

But really, Eren wondered, had Levi always talked like that? Commenting on random things out of the blue, then always pressing his lips tight in disappointment when Eren just couldn’t say the right thing? Then again…since when did Eren start looking at his lips? It was just a momentary observation…right? Then why did the image appear so clear in his mind? A pair of rose pink lips with the slightest glaze of balm and the way Levi’s silver-grey eyes would always somehow look directly into his own gaze with a shine…a figment of his own imagination, Eren concluded. With the way his brain seemed to malfunction whenever he saw or even thought of Levi, or how his stomach plummeted every time their hands accidentally brushed as they walked, even hallucinating seemed possible now.

 

“Eren.” Levi said, watching Eren’s head rise slowly from the table. He noticed how the other’s eyes immediately latched onto his papers, avoiding his eyes.

“Yeah?” Eren braced himself for what was to come. The…pick-up line, if he dared now call it. But it didn’t make sense why Levi would do such a thing. With such amazing friends like Petra and Erwin and Hanji, why look at him? Not only was he two years his junior, but he…was so plain. Nothing like gorgeous, kind Petra. Nothing like the dust that covered Levi’s shoes. Nothing like…nothing.

 

“Yeah?” he repeated at Levi’s silence, his voice coming out monotone as he strained to keep it steady.

“It-” Levi didn’t understand. Why was Eren suddenly shaking? Was he scared? Or…or rather he knew what Levi was about to say. Had he really been tormenting this boy to this extent with his teasing? Feelings of guilt plagued Levi’s stomach, and he had to clear his throat to speak. “It’s nothing.”

 

Disappointment coursed through Levi’s vein like molten lead, but he knew he had done the right thing. He didn’t push Eren when he clearly was uncomfortable with his advances. He’d retracted his courting. He tried to feel pleased at his own self-control, his restraint that prevented him from simply kissing the boy, instead of attempting to flirt horribly which had ended up distancing himself from Eren more than ever. He tried to convince himself to consider the matter was over.

 

Then why did Eren look more disappointed than Levi had ever had been?

 

* * *

 

A stream of profanities left Levi’s mouth as the rain seemed to thunder louder onto the pavement, plastering his bangs onto his face. He knew he should’ve taken a bloody umbrella before leaving the apartment to pick up Isabel from school - but he was already late as it was. After all, seeing the muddy, dirt stricken tracks smeared all over his welcome mat (which read ‘Leave’ but a welcome mat was a welcome mat) as he was leaving the apartment (obviously curtesy of the obnoxious young boy who knew nothing of the world ‘clean’ that lived two doors down as the footsteps had trailed all the way to their door) snapped something within him. And within ten minutes, the dirt (in which Levi preferred to regard as ‘shit’) was cleaned throughly off the mat which now discharged an unholy amount of chemical fumes, and left him completely behind schedule. 

 

_Almost there,_ Levi thought grimly, squinting through the rain to see the bus stop that vaguely appeared in the distance. He didn’t notice the figure that sat underneath the shelter that glanced at him, before looking away. Levi barely made it to the stop…before a truck drove past, splattering unholy amounts of wet soil and rainwater onto his coat. “Fuck!” he swore loudly.

“A-Are you okay?”

“Absolute filth.” Levi sneered, grabbing the edges of his coat and flicking whatever dirt he could. _Just the fucking cherry on top of today._

“You want some tissues?”

“I have my own.” he replied sharply. Then it dawned on Levi why the voice seemed to familiar and the atmosphere turned numbingly cold.

 

Eren remembered how Levi had never missed the chance to look directly into his eyes when they were together. Now they seemed to copy his own, flittering from car to car as the sounds of traffic droned over the lasting silence. After several minutes of hesitation, Levi tried to speak but the overwhelming rain pounding against the concrete and gurgling sewers make him rethink and close his mouth again. An airplane flew by. Red, green and yellow lights reflected interchangeably against the puddles. No bus. Levi sighed.

 

“Can I see your necklace?” A pathetic grasp at conversation on Levi’s behalf. Even ‘hello’ had seemed too awkward.

“H-Huh?”

A van drove noisily past the stop, and Levi waited until he could breathe without inhaling the disgusting scent of the acidic petrol before he spoke again. “Your necklace. I’ve never looked at it properly.”

“Oh,” Eren never knew Levi had noticed these kinds of things. Maybe he really didn’t know that much about him at all. “Sure.” He unclasped the necklace easily, handing the old-fashion key dangling from the black cord into the Levi’s outstretched hand. Eren noticed how cold the other’s skin was when they touched. He had to get him a pair of woollen gloves the next time he saw him. _Black or grey would suit him nicely,_ he thought with a contemplative smile.

 

Levi examined the bronze pendant that now lay in his palm. He’d be lying if he said he wasn’t thinking about the way the tips of Eren’s fingers touched his palm, sending shivers down his body. His hand still tingled with traces of warmth. After a slight moment of hesitation, Levi shoved the necklace down his coat pocket, Eren gaping at the action.

 

“But that’s mine!” Eren argued, puzzlement lazed into his tone. 

Levi tilt his head. “So?”

It hadn’t even been that expensive, Eren silently admit. Just a small trinket at the store. He crossed his arms. If Levi had actually _asked_ , it might not have mattered if he took it. But now things were a different matter, and Eren confessed half the reason it had riled him up was because he had missed speaking openly to the man and stubbornly clung onto this opportunity. “So you can’t take it!”

 

Levi felt a lump rise in his throat. When he swallowed, he tasted dread. It would be the last one, he promised to himself. Then after he could forget this all happened. That what started out as jester had ended with a distant relationship. That the days where Eren would shout his name and run across half the school just to say hello were over. That he fell in love with this stupid boy who, to him, held all the stars in the world. “Why not? You’ve already stolen my heart.”

 

Levi didn’t know what he was expecting. Maybe Eren to stand up and leave without his necklace. Or Eren to tilt his head and once more clearly express his confusion at Levi’s shitty ways of saying ‘I love you’. He definitely wasn’t expecting Eren to jump from the waiting bench like it was made of fire, his cheeks subsequently blushing deeper shades of red as the seconds passed.

 

Levi stood up too. Eren took a hasty step back, his shoulder colliding hard against the plastic glass of the shelter. Levi hid an amused smile as he watched the other stare blankly at his words, mouth gaping several times as the pieces slowly connected in his brain. “A-Are you flirting with me?” Eren demanded, weakly pointing an accusing finger at the man.

 

Levi rose an eyebrow in answer. “I’m flirting with you.” How dense could this green-eyed boy get? It had been months of the pick-up lines (which he could admit, started out absolutely terribly), the ‘accidental’ touching, the ‘oh you’re here too what a coincidence, let’s hang out together for the rest of the day’ and Eren still had his doubts? Was what happened at the library not a sign of rejection from Eren? Maybe he shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions.

 

“But-” Eren’s mind and heart was racing a thousand miles per hour. The pounding in his chest rose to his head; he felt dizzy. As much as he wanted to sit down again, he couldn’t move. He couldn’t hear over the heavy rushing of blood in his ears, couldn’t feel his nails dig into his palms in a clenched fist. He prayed he hadn’t heard wrong, prayed this wasn’t a dream.

“But?” Levi prompted.

“But,” Hearing his voice come out croaky, Eren swallowed and tried to even his breathing. He was glad his next words didn’t come out as shakily as he had thought they would. “But _why_?”

 

He held his breath as Levi stood closer, clearing the distance until the ends of their shoes barely touched and their cold breaths visibly mingled together in the air. Pale, onyx eyes bore deep into Eren’s unreadable shock. He could barely feel the ends of his scarf being pulled lower as Levi’s face came closer and closer, his head tilting slightly to one side…Eren shut his eyes tightly, bracing himself for the impact.

 

Warm, moist lips pressed lightly onto his cheek, spreading a light, tingling sensation pricking all over his skin. His face seemed to burn under the gesture, and his mind couldn’t seem to grasp the intimacy that Levi had definitely created. The feeling lasted even as Levi stepped back mumbling with his hands in his pockets, “Got it, brat?” 

 

_No,_ Eren wanted to scream, fighting the urge to bring his fingers up to touch his cheek where Levi had kissed. But there was no doubt of the meaning behind his actions until now; and this time he wouldn’t miss it. Eren paused before giving a slight nod, The tips of Levi’s mouth curled upwards slightly. “Then good.”

 

A pair of yellow spotlights washed over them, approaching the stop and Levi jogged to flag the bus down as rain once again cascaded over his head, though less-intensively now. He looked back at Eren who shook his head. “Not my bus.”

Levi pursed his lips. Just his luck. Then again, the thought of Isabel stuck alone at school in this terrible weather probably wondering if he had forgotten her, nagged harder at his mind, and he blinked his doubts away along with the rain. “See you around then?”

“Yeah,” Eren answered absentmindedly, still half dazed. “See you around.”

 

Only in the confined mass of the bus could Levi let his smile fully grow, burying his head further in his scarf and tracing the edges of the stolen key in his pocket.

 

* * *

 

“Eren, Eren, Eren!” The child chanted in a sing-song voice, happily skipping around the man as he entered the apartment. “Eren, Eren, Eren!”

 

“Hey Isabel!” Eren grinned, trying not to collide into Levi’s little sister as he bent down to untie his shoes. A week had passed since they had seen each other at the bus stop. It wasn’t like Eren had been ignoring Levi or anything, but every time he tried to question the other about his missing necklace his voice seemed to catch in his throat and he quickly left before he could confront him. And now he was in Levi’s apartment, which made things that much less awkward. 

 

Looking up at Levi who seemed to be glaring at Isabel with warning, Eren gave a small laugh. “She’s always just a ball full of energy, isn’t she?”

After a few more seconds of what seemed like a inner conversation between Isabel and Levi (with Isabel simply smirking at her elder brother whose stare burned with an unconfined malice), Levi finally sighed, running a hand thinly through his undercut. “Yes, she is.” He pretended to ignore Isabel pulling a face at him before running off into the living room. “It’s a good thing you could come over today. I have something due in a couple days and it’d probably be done a lot faster if you were here to keep her company. Your friends and mine couldn’t make it either so it’s convenient that you’re free.”

 

Levi didn’t pretend not to know the reason Armin had faked sickness to avoid coming or why Mikasa had begrudgingly stated she had an assessment herself due soon (after a lot of coaxing from a coughing Armin, evident in the background of the phone call). His hopes of inconspicuously inviting Eren over had fallen considerably.

 

This was even after he had received a gushed and intense rant from Hanji about how ‘no way in hell would she miss the chance to put Eren and him in the same room together as many times as possible before they get married and have kids and two cats’. Not to mention the apologetic smile Petra had also given as a reply before he had even spoken. Damn Hanji. He purposely ignored asking Erwin knowing his sadistic nature would prove useless in the end.

 

“It’s alright,” Eren reassured brightly, snapping Levi out of his thoughts. “I love playing with Isabel.”

Recalling the conversation, Levi replied neutrally, “That’s good.” Levi acknowledged Isabel who had returned to his side by ruffling her hair, her head leaning into the touch. When she was finished receiving attention, she ran over to the couch and dived into the cushions with a shriek of delight, sending them flying. She gave her brother an tilted grin at his hardened gaze, using the opportunity that Eren gave to bend the rules of ‘pristine and clean’ that Levi was firm with. It wasn’t her fault he was no fun.

 

“She’s always asking about you, you know.” Levi commented. “When you’ll come over next and play with her again. Or when she can use you as an excuse to mess up the house.”

Eren gave an amused smile. “You have a six-year-old little sister. What part of that made you think a mess wouldn’t appear whenever you turned your back?”

“The part where she’s my little sister.” he complained. “Even adopted, I’m sincerely beginning to doubt the chances of her showing any femininity when she grows older.”

“Oh please, Isabel is the sweetest child on Earth.” Eren let out a long sigh. “If only some of her genes could have been shared with you too…” He barely moved his body in time before Levi’s foot could connect with his shin. 

 

“You better not disappoint, Jaeger.” Levi grumbled.“ She was ecstatic when I told her you were the one that would be coming over.”

“Because all of Levi’s friends are so pretty!” Isabel yelled, rolling over the sofa and landing on the soft carpet with an exaggerated huff. “And Eren does my hair better than you.”

“Does he?” Levi mused. “Maybe he’ll do it today if you ask nicely.”

“Of course I will!” Eren said cheerily, watching Isabel’s pleading eyes. Leaning forward, he whispered into her ear, loud enough for Levi to hear. “I’ll even teach you how to do it so you can surprise your brother next time.”

Isabel’s eyes shone with awe. “Really? Awesome!” Determined, she grabbed Levi’s sleeve and pulled him towards his room. “You’ve gotta do stuff right? So stop being such a _straggler_ and leave us alone! Hurry!”

“My, where did you learn such language, little Isabel?” Eren chastised. “Calling people stragglers like that.”

She crossed her arms, puffing her chest out. “That’s what brother calls the neighbour when they take so long to fit their keys in slot while the keys are jingling against the door really noisily then when they finally open the door and it slams really loudly against the wall Levi mutters that they’re a disruptive piece of sh-”

“That’s enough, Isabel.” Levi quickly cut her off, taking steps into the direction of his room. “I’ll go now so just have fun with Eren, yeah? And…yeah.”

“Whatever you say, brother.” Isabel shrugged innocently. 

 

Knowing that the judgemental stare Eren was pointedly giving him would soon lead to a lecture about child innocence and appropriate use of language, Levi quickly disappeared into his bedroom.Isabel grinned madly at Eren, rolling leisurely around on the carpet whilst reaching towards the small bookshelf that rested quietly in the corner.

 

“So Isabel,” Eren lowered himself onto the carpet, bringing him eye-level with the red-head as she began to settle down and flip through picture books randomly on the floor. “What’s that one about?”

She didn’t hesitate in her answer. “It’s about a ladybug that fights with a yoyo a black cat that helps her destroy the bad guys with his claws.” Eren tried not to think too hard about what she had just said. 

 

Lying down on his stomach next to Isabel, he noticed the girl trailing her finger along the bolded words that ran along the bottom of each page. “Have you learnt how to read, then?”

“Yes! Well,” Her expression twisted in thought. “Not that good, though…” Then her eyes widened in sudden awareness. “Can you teach me, Eren?”

“Of course!” he beamed, eager to watch more of the girl’s fascinating expressions. He was glad it was Isabel whom Levi could spend the most time with. “Did you do your pigtails to look like the ladybug?”

“Yes! But, um, how do you read this word…”

 

The two huddled together, alternating between reading, playing a trending video game featuring a post-apocalyptic world where the players fought to overthrow the titans (which Eren would argue was far too graphic for Isabel but when she gave an angelic smile whilst holding the game up, his heart betrayed him) and playing slightly over-competitive rounds of UNO. It was only after Eren groggily woke up from an unanticipated nap with Isabel’s head leaning on his arm that he noticed the light streaming through the blinds had changed from what had been a pale yellow to a pastel purple-grey. 

 

“Isabel.” he whispered, gently prodding the girl awake. After about the third poke, her eyes suddenly shot wide open and she stood so quickly he swore he heard her back crack. “I gotta pee!” she announced, and ran to the bathroom. Eren didn’t try to stop her, raising his arms in a languid stretch. Rising from the carpet, he hesitated slightly before deciding to pay Levi a visit. 

 

Eren didn’t realise the door wasn’t closed and was slightly surprised when it swung open at the first knock. He was grateful that the other didn’t bother looking up to see his embarrassment.

“Hello.” Levi said absently.

“Hey.”

“Everything’s fine, brat?”

 

At Eren’s elongated pause, Levi looked up to see him rocking on his heels and darting his eyes from object to object. Levi would say he was nervous, being in his room, but the redness appearing at the edges of the others ears told him otherwise. He propped his elbow on the table and rest his head inquisitively on his hand. “If it’s making you look so constipated you may as well spit it out.” Eren only realised he was fidgeting as Levi spoke, quickly pulling them still by his sides. He could feel the layer of sweat growing on his palms like a second skin.

 

Levi had done this before so it couldn’t be that hard…could it? “So, uh,” Wait. Didn’t Levi take his necklace? Shouldn’t he ask about that first? _No_. Eren told himself. _Stick to the goddamn plan. And stop chickening out._ He cleared his throat. “I kinda forgot to tell you earlier so I thought I’d say it now but, um, you shouldn’t- I mean, don’t take any offence right- oh, but then again, knowing you, you probably wouldn’t take any offence anyway but just to put it out there as some sought of, um, how would you put it…er…”

Levi coughed into his fist.

“I like your outfit.” Eren blurted. _Oh god,_ he inwardly groaned, immediately regretting his decision. _There was no going back now._

Looking down, Levi only saw black and grey. If he squinted, there was white in the small logo stitched in the corner. “It’s…no different to usual. But thanks?”

“No, I mean- ow!” Eren brought a hand to cover his mouth, wincing as the blood from his bitten tongue left a slight metallic flavour. Cursing inwardly, he forced himself to continue despite the lingering pain. “What I meant to say was-”

“Don’t hurt yourself, Jaeger.”

“Oh, shush up. I mean, your, um, jacket looks great but…” Eren’s head gravitated to face the carpet, finding a sudden interest in the carpeted floor. It was clean. Face blushing a scarlet red, his voice lowered to an embarrassed murmur. “…It’d look better on my floor.”

 

There it was. The absolutely horrible pick-up line he found on the internet, and quite possible, one of the most dumbest things he had said, which was saying something. Eren couldn’t bring himself to look at the other man, whom he could feel burning his gaze onto his lowered head. Was that too cheesy? Damn, he knew he should’ve chosen the one about the Santa…! Hearing Levi inhale slightly, Eren was snapped out of his stupor and unconsciously clenched his fists, bracing himself for what he would hear next.

 

“You _do_ know how absolutely filthy your floor is, right?” Levi asked, completely horrified.

“Um, w-well-” Eren stuttered,“I, ah-”

“Why would even say that? The amount of germs on your carpet is equal or more the colonies of bacteria that spread from your feet to everything you step on every day, your socks, dust, crumbs - not forgetting to mention how many times I’ve seen you drop food onto the floor. And don’t think I’ve forgotten the time where I saw you leaving that dead cockroach near the doorframe because you were too scared to pick it up until I came over _two weeks_ later to find the disgusting corpse almost disintegrating when I tried to-”

 

“Levi calm down, it was just a joke.” Eren interrupted, forcing a smile onto his face. A strange, rhythmic pounding pulsed through Eren’s head, making him feel slightly dizzy with vertigo, but he somehow managed to remain standing. For all the times Levi had tried to flirt with him, he only understood now the absolute crushing pain when words couldn’t convey his feelings properly - yet they were the only lines he could muster the courage to speak. 

 

Too engrossed in his decline into self-pity and hate, he didn’t notice Levi rising from his chair and approaching him, arm raised to caress the other’s head as he came closer. As Eren was willing his brimming tears to subside, he felt a hand thread gently through his hair, lifting his head to look Levi in the eye. The man brought their foreheads together, Eren’s skin a burning heat against Levi’s own. “You’re wrong.” Levi whispered. 

Eren inhaled.

“The correct answer is-” Levi slowly rose on his toes, their noses now barely touching. “Your jacket would look better on _my-_.”

A loud bang of the door slamming open, hitting the walls, echoed from the corridor. Not a moment later, Isabel ran into the room, gushing with excitement. “Levi, Levi look at my hair, I just plait it myself, like how Eren taught me to! Are you surprised? Isn’t it pretty?”

 

Eren hastily threw himself away from Levi, knowing his dying hopes of not being seen by Isabel almost kissing her older brother were more or less futile. Levi mirrored his actions, although with less exaggeration, and took a while to absorb the fact that _he was this fucking close to kissing Eren Jaeger_ before responding to her expectant look, “They’re great, Isabel. Almost better than how I do it.”

She stuck her tongue out, before facing Eren. “Will you teach me other hairstyles? After dinner?”

“Sorry,” he apologised meekly. “Mikasa and Dad are probably waiting for me at home to eat dinner.”

“Aww!” she pouted. “You sure?”

“I’m sure. But I’ll see you again next time, okay?”

“ _Soon_ , you mean.” Isabel corrected, flicking several looks towards Levi. “Soon, right brother?”

Levi gave a weary sigh. “That’s up to Eren, you know.”

“I- I don’t min-” A low grumble left Eren’s stomach, and before he could even blush Isabel had latched herself onto his arm.

“Then at least eat something before you go!” she persisted, promptly dragging Eren out of the room and into the direction of the kitchen. Levi let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding, and leant his forehead onto the nearest wall. “It’d look better on my floor.” he muttered, bringing a fist to the plaster. He couldn’t even finish what he wanted to say - and now Eren was leaving. “My floor, for fuck’s sake!”

 

“Is there something wrong with your floor, brother?” 

Freezing in his motion, Levi’s gaze slowly trailed to the door, eyes landing on the red-head who seemed to be genuinely confused, peeling a mandarin in her hand. _She just fucking left!_ his mind screamed.

“I don’t think that’s the case, Isabel.” Eren’s slightly amused voice appeared from behind Isabel, his earlier shock worn off from the sheer positivity emitted by the younger girl. And he’d caught on to what Levi had been attempting to say. _Before you almost kissed him,_ his mind added unhelpfully. 

 

Isabel looked up to Eren, eyebrows furrowed. “Then why is he complaining about it?”

“You see,” Eren explained, his stern expression unwavering. “Your brother as something called ‘issues’.”

“I do not have-!”

“Issues? What issues?” Isabel piped.

“Issues,” Eren cast a pointed look in Levi’s direction. “Like how he loves to have the upper hand when it comes to manipulating others and making them think one way or another but has undeniably lost said upper hand due to his adorable little sister who keeps him in line.”

“I’m adorable?!” Isabel squeaked delightfully, rocking enthusiastically back and forth on her heels. “I’m adorable! Eren thinks I’m adorable! Hey, what do you think about that, Levi?” Discarding her mandarin peel on the floor, she ran to her brother, whose face for once showed more than its usual passiveness. 

 

Flinging her arms around his shoulders as she jumped, she grinned smugly. “Eren thinks I’m adorable so he obviously loves me more than you, brother.” she teased.

“What are you talking about, Isabel?” Eren pretended to be hurt, bringing a hand to his heart. “I never said that.”

“So you do love me.” Levi tried to put out casually, although Eren could detect a hint of wariness in his tone. 

Before he could reply, Isabel cut in, “Of course he does! Don’t be stupid, brother! And you love him and I love you and I love him and he loves me and-”

“That’s enough out of you.” Levi cut in, throwing a hand over her mouth before taking it away in disgust as she purposefully licked his palm. “Ugh. Go throw your peel in the bin before Eren leaves.”

“Aye aye captain.” she said seriously, kicking the mandarin peel into her hand before dashing out of the room.

 

A glint of bronze brought Eren’s attention to the object peeking out from the collar of Levi’s shirt. He blinked at the familiar charm he had been searching for, the culprit meeting his suspicions. Then he remembered how the other had kept it in his pocket that night, and from there other memories resurfaced and he swiftly repressed them for the moment. “You’re wearing my necklace.”

Levi didn’t even seem surprised that the other had noticed, holding the key out with a slightly raised eyebrow. “Do you want it back?”

“No,” Eren shook his head. “You can keep it if you want. It just feels kinda weird seeing you wearing it, that’s all.” 

Leaning on the wall, Levi crossed his arms. “Yeah? How?”

“It’s like…” The words seemed to float aimlessly in his mind, the thought that had him cursing at himself for even thinking in the first place. His gaze trailed to the cracks on the walls. ”It’s like you belong to me or something.” 

 

Eren hadn’t even realised he had been stepping closer to Levi, and almost jumped as felt another hand slide into his own. Although the proximity may have once made him blush, Eren felt his chest loosed as the other brushed his fingers over his knuckles.

“Do you want me to?” Levi murmured, watching how their hands moulded seamlessly together. “Belong to you?”

Eren wondered if Levi’s steel-grey eyes had always seemed so alluring. He bit his lip. “Would it be strange if I said yes?”

Levi’s response was immediate. “No. Because I already do.”

 

Feeling lightheaded from the deafening drumming of his heart, Eren interlinked their fingers. The attraction was compelling. Before Levi could find the sense to stop, he tilted his head and captured Eren’s mouth with his lips. He felt the other stiffen, but Levi continued to press against him nonetheless, kissing him again. A shaking hand gripped at Levi’s shirt, torn between pulling him away or closer to heat of his mouth as Eren’s mind completely blanked when he felt a hint of tongue touch his lips. Noticing the lack of response from the other, Levi hesitantly pulled back with a subtle disappointment, loosening his grip on Eren’s hand in apology for the forced kiss.

 

Just as he had, Eren’s hand tightened around Levi’s retracting fingers and pulled him closer, his will turning resolute as he brought their bodies closer once again and returned Levi’s kiss with one of his own. He felt the other’s lips move instantly against his own, and Eren couldn’t help but break away with a small laugh. Feeling a surge of bravery, he let their noses touch in an eskimo kiss and watched as the faintest hint of pink painted Levi’s cheeks at the action. “Brat.” Levi muttered. Eren pulled back with a small laugh.

 

Levi took the chance to rest his head on Eren’s shoulder, for once not complaining about the height difference. He closed his eyes, trying to memorise every touch, every feeling, because this was Eren and this was _real_. His breath came out in a heavy whisper, “It’s always just been you, Jaeger.” The hand that wasn’t linked with Eren’s circled around his back, clutching his sweater as he pulled him into a hug. Eren couldn’t help but melt into the embrace. He wondered if the affection he felt for Levi was love. Pressing his cheek into Levi’s hair, he didn’t want to imagine ever leaving his side again.

 

Levi angled his head upwards, just enough to give a small smirk. “Hey brat.”

“Mm?”

“Kissing is the language of love, so how about a conversation?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Isabel’s here.”  
> “…Next time then.”  
> “Next time.”


End file.
